Photo Credit: Eric Schmuttenmaer
A new year always means fresh resolutions to do better with our health, our finances, and our relationships. This year, you might want to throw in your home, too! There are some home-maintenance tasks you should complete every year, so that you can be sure your home stays safe and comfortable.
From the home-maintenance experts at Squeeky Clean Services, here’s a checklist of tasks you can complete to get 2015 off to a good start!
1. Get the chimney cleaned. Anyone who owns a chimney knows how dirty they can get over time. To keep fire risks low, hire a chimney sweep to come and give yours a scrub-down. You’ll need that fireplace come January and February!
2. Inspect your appliances. Check electrical cords and hoses for wear and tear. If you spot frayed wires or leakage, it’s time to replace those parts.
3. Check your crawl spaces. Take a stroll around your home and examine the crawl space vents found at the foundation. Close any that are open.
4. Replace or clean furnace filters. Your furnace should come with manufacturer instructions that tell you how often you need to replace the filters and what type you need.
5. Get your gutters cleaned. Clogged gutters are one of the leading causes of flooding in the home. Have one of our experts clear yours of leaves and other debris!
6. Inspect the entrance of your home. If you don’t usually enter your home through the front door, but through the garage, you may not be aware of a shaky handrail, tilting pathway stones, or cracked concrete. Now is a great time to make sure your home’s entrance is well kept.
7. Power wash the house. Dirt, dust, grass stains, pollen, and more accumulate on the exterior of your home throughout the year. An expert power washing can leave your home new again, not to mention it can protect your siding or stone from deterioration.
8. Replace dead light bulbs (with more energy-efficient bulbs). Go around the home checking each lighting fixture for busted bulbs. Better yet, replace all of your infrared bulbs with LED bulbs, which will save you money on energy and often cast better light.
9. Maintain your drains. Send half a cup of baking soda down your sinks, followed by half a cup of white vinegar. Ten minutes later, pour boiling water down, too. This should help keep stoppages to a minimum in the coming months.
10. Check your doors and windows for drafts. At this time of year, it should be easy to tell if cold air is leaking inside. If you detect a breeze, apply weather stripping to keep your home warmer and save energy on heating.
Complete these tasks to start the new year with a clean bill of health for your home! And remember, if you discover a problem that’s beyond your range of expertise, you know who to call: Squeeky Clean Services!
